The Village! Well looking at the area covered by this Map of Your Village, the Village appears more the size of a City to my eye. Especially when you think of the number of the population, for example the Shopkeeper has the number of 37927. That at least would give the Village a population of 37,927, making it at least a large Town. And the population could well exeed that number, making the Village a City.
As it happened, back in the early 1990's, possibly late 80's, there was a plan to make a feature film of 'the Prisoner,' but call it 'The City!" I cannot rmemeber who was behind the idea, in fact that's all I can remember about it, apart from the fact the film never saw the light of day.

Everyone tries to escape when their spirits broken, one can even be driven to acts of desperation. Like the time when No.23 tied himself to the trunk of a tree, threw himself off the top of a cliff so he did, tied to this trunk of a tree. He said the tied would carry him out to sea, and then he’d be picked up by a passing boat……….there wasn’t a funeral, you need a body!

No.6 was given an electro pass, it synchronises with the alarm system and lets you through, it does that right enough. And then, if you can fly a helicopter you can use it to escape! Well it’s like the jet boat they have here, and M.S. Polotska, it has a built-in remote control system!You see there are three ways out of the Village, by road, well as it happens all roads lead back to the Village! By air, if you happen to be the helicopter pilot, Cobb, a plant here in the Village, of No. 2. By sea, you can either swim for it, carve yourself a boat out of a tree trunk. Build yourself a sea-going raft, or simply tie two rubber lilos together and simply paddle off in the hope of attracting the attention of a passing boat or ship. Overland into the open countryside, but beyond that are the mountains, over or through is the only way, and I’ve never known anyone attempt escape that way. Even No.6 rejected going over the mountains.So you see there are only so many ways of escape from the Village, but I’ve known those to gather together and try to tunnel their way out. Or to hide in a dustbin in order to be collected and thrown out with the rubbish! No.38 went about the Village collecting the inner cardboard tube from toilet rolls, hundreds and hundreds he collected, and then sheets, and bought all the potatoes from the General store. No. 2 knew all the time what No.38 was up to. He was building a guilder in the BellTower! The inner cardboard tubes made the frame of the guilder, the sheets would make the covering of the frame, stiffened with starch from the boiled potatoes. Oh yes, and then there were the industrial strength elastic bands, they formed the catapult which would launch the guilder. It was only at the point of No.38 actually attempting to launch the guilder that No.2 put a stop to it. He said that he didn’t want No.38 killing himself, and only let he build the guilder in the first place so that he had something to do. That broke No.38’s gallant heart, one day he climbed to the top of the Bell Tower and threw himself off……..there was no water at the foot of the Bell Tower to break his fall!You see No.6, he wants what we all want ultimately, to escape, and that goes for No.2, I herd him admit as much the Madam Professor. And to think that she and her husband the Professor came to the Village willingly, they must have been desperate! I mean to say the Professor is a teacher, he teaches. If that’s the case, and if he’s such a great teacher, why did he have to come to the Village to do it, answer me that if you can. And Madam Professor, she all arty. I mean to say, have you ever been to one of her art seminars? What’s that chap doping over there? He’s tearing up a book, creation comes out of the ashes of destruction, I mean what’s that got to do with art? And that woman, she’s standing on her head! But oh no, to Madam Professor she’s creating a new perspective! And that chap sat there….he’s asleep, yes I bet he is. Tired himself out thinking in broad concepts all day! And don’t give me any of that still life painting, or seascapes for that matter. And I can think of a better subjects than No.2 to paint, or model in clay, some people have no imagination! I was talking to that Nadia, you know Number Eight, cor I wouldn’t mind twelve hours in a crate with her! Oops! That’s sexist talk, I forgot. Mind you she did ask if I would paint her in the nude. I said I’d have to keep me socks on. Nadia asked me why, I said well I’ll need somewhere to keep me paint brushes! Do you get it, keep me socks on so I……..oh well please yourselves. But at least I’ve retained a sense of humour, which is more then most can say here!Carnival they said, they’ll be music, dancing, happiness by order! Well I didn’t see much happiness,did you see the bland expression on everyone’s face at the Carnival? The dancing wasn’t up to much either, although there was music. If you ask me the Carnival was a put-up job. Well they didn’t fool me! Here do you know what, I had my breakfast brought to me on a tray that morning of the Carnival. Some bird, my personal maid actually, brought it to my cottage wearing a fancy dress costume, looked like King Arthur’s misses she did. And do you know what, my breakfast, it was stone cold! I blamed that guy driving the tractor, a bit too slow for my liking. If the girl had walked, she’d have got here twice as quick as riding on the trailer of that truck, and what’s more my breakfast wouldn’t have been cold! Anyway were was I? Oh yeah, escape, what I’ve learned is this, if you don’t escape in time, you grow too old for escape that’s what. Well that’s what No.14 told me. He’s an ex-Count or something. And that’s another thing, how the devil can anyone be an ex-Count, did he resign or what? Yes escape. Well it’s not everyone who is skilled enough to build a sea-going raft, let alone felling enough trees in the first place. And what about carving the hull of a boat out of the trunk of a tree, using a tarpaulin to complete the hull. And then what about navigation. I wouldn’t know how to navigate, not even if I knew where to was sailing from and to where I was sailing! I couldn’t build a home-made compass to save my life I couldn’t. No, what you need are reliable men! Men who are skilled in a number of different skills. And don’t make the same mistake as that Number 6 fella. Let others take responsibility, that way there’s no comeback. What I mean is, if Number 6 hadn’t taken overall charge of that little adventure, but let everyone take responsibility, then the Rook couldn’t have made the mistake he did, in thinking that Number 6 was one of “them!”Anyway life here in the Village is what you make it. Me, I’m perfectly happy. {bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep” Just a minute that the phone. “Number Two here……….No sir, everything’s fine. Assistance? No sir I can manage…….No sir, just as you ordered……….well thank you sir.” Possibly the greatest experiment in human history and he treats it like. Well I wouldn’t like to say what he treats it like. All I know is life here in the Village is what you make it. But right now, just at this moment, I want what most of us want ultimately….to escape!

That's what he tells No.2 of ‘Dance of the Dead,’ who warns him that if he insists on living a dream he may be taken for mad. "I like my dream" No.6 tells her. "Then you are mad" she tells him.

But what exactly is No.6's dream? On the evening of ‘Dance of the Dead’ No.6 is down on the beach looking for a sign from his world, a light, boat, a plane. No.6 pines for his world, but the village is his world, and the dream he is now living. So is No.6 mad, well not according the Psychiatrists records in ‘Hammer Into Anvil.’ But if the village is a dream, simply in one man's head, then he either is mad, or its a terrible case of self-persecution! Either that or one man's journey of self-discovery. And if the latter is the case, what exactly have we learned?

Many Happy Returns

Is an episode which reflects the vicious circle that is ‘the Prisoner.’ A circle within a circle you might say.

At the beginning of ‘Arrival’ we have a grimaced faced man behind the wheel of his Lotus 7. Then after escaping the village in ‘Fall Out,’ the Prisoner returns to London, and soon after which, we see that same grimaced faced man behind the wheel of his Lotus 7, and still as much a prisoner as ever he was. Because "In his end, is the Prisoner's beginning!"

And likewise it is with the episode of ‘Many Happy Returns.’ No.6 escapes from a seemingly deserted village. He makes a perilous journey back to London, soon after which No.6 is unceremoniously returned to the village at the very place of his departure. The Prisoner has been brought full circle, and is still as much a prisoner as he was, before the day he made his escape!

All It Takes Is Reasoned Logic!

At the time of this newspaper headline, it was probably correct. But time on the use of reasoned logic, together with research, has made this headline obsolte!

Never mind the old codger at the foot of the page, I mean the character, not Pat McGoohan. But I think I can say that I have arrived at an understanding of the Prisoner which is second to none. Having spent 4 years researching the series, in-depth, and to such a depth never before achieved.

Indeed I can say with confidence, and some gratification, that I have found out things associated with the Prisoner series, which McGoohan perhaps thought at the time would never be discovered. The adaptation of village edicts such as "Music makes for a quiet mind" and of course the origin of the village salute usedin conjunction with the phrase "Be seeing you," and it has absolutely nothing to do with the Christian sign of recognition - the sign of the fish, that much I am free to tell you. And of course this is simply the tip of the iceberg, oh and "Playing it according to Hoyle," its not Fred Hoyle as many fans believe.

Yes its amusing to read such head lines of yesteryear, as now even the most recent fans to the series today, know more than the seasoned fan did all those years ago. Mind you, its through the dedicated work of fans, and the society of Six of One: the Prisoner Appreciation Society, who have provided such information for fans of 'the Prisoner' series over the past deacdes.

Thursday, 30 May 2013

Regular readers of my 'Prisoner' based blog will no doubt have read the post 'Caught On Camera!' dated May 27th, and the comments of why the "Man with the stick" doesn't have a more leading role in the escape attempt in 'Checkmate,' but takes a backseat role. Also the suggestion that the "Man with the stick" being a plant. Well I can at least confirm that the "Man with the stick" was not a plant.
Originally there was to have been a plant within the group of reliable men chosen by No.6, this man.

This man works for No.2, seen here at the outset of 'Checkmate,' an ordinary looking citizen, as he stands still while the Village Guardian passes by. Later in the series we see this man, Number 269, being led to a meeting with No.6 by the Shopkeeper and the Rook, rather like a prisoner and his escort, as the written description below confirms.

The next descriptive picture shows No.269 with the group. The only difference is, he's now wearing a red jersey instead of blue, and a piped jacket. But still wears the distinctive cap.

What had the man done? No.6 had found out that No.269 was a plant working for No.2.
The next two pictures are taken from routine surveillance film footage. As you can see No.269 is no longer amongst the group as they enter the Green Dome.

But yet there is No.14, the "Man with the stick." still amongst the group, which clearly shows he did not disappear from the group of reliable men, and so not a plant.
This post is in the form of a reply to Arno and Jana. As I could not add pictures in reply to comments. But of course is open to other readers who may have read the recent comments on this matter.
Why the scene with No.269 was delated from the finished episode is unknown. The reason might have been simply, that episode had to be reduced to 50 minutes.

"Big enough for you?"
The map scene in 'Arrival,' when the Prisoner goes to the Village Shop to buy a map. No suggestion of a map in colour or black and white, however it does cover a very large area, so I think it's big enough! As 37927 says "Buy one get one free!" but why would Six want two maps? "Makes the perfect gift."

Betty "What's the matter Patrick, you look as though you've come out and left the gas on!"

"Don't tell me Pat, you've just had another brilliant idea! Well let me tell you Pat McGoohan, the film crew are still reeling from your absolutely brilliant idea of having a small electrical current running through the General to give the scene that little hint of zest. Peter and John are still recovering from the shock!"

McGoohan "It's not my fault."

Peter Grahan Scott "It's your signature on the work permit."

"Work permit?"

"The one instructing the electricians to wire the General up to the mains!"

Betty McDowell "Really Patrick. You should treat people with more care and respect, and they will react accordingly."

McGoohan "I have to maintain discipline!"

Betty "Discipline! What had poor Peter done to deserve such a shock?"

McGoohan "Nothing, he's a gentleman."

Betty "Well then."

McGoohan "But I needed Peter to give something extra to the final scene....."

Aren't we all? No.6 must be new in the village, at least that is what No.14 assumes. In time most of us join the enemy - against ourselves. Ourselves as in No.1 do you think?

No.14 is the chess champion, an ex-Count of an old European family who used to play chess with their retainers, who were beheaded "as they were wiped off the board" - blimy! Even Vlad the Impaler hadn't thought of that one!

So had No.14 joined the enemy against himself? To a point I think he has. He might have fought against them for as long as he could. But now he admitted himself that he's too old for escape, and so for years No.14 has relied upon the village to take care of him and his welfare. And they don't do that if you haven't given anything in return!

By his remark of "In time most of us join the enemy - against ourselves," could possibly mean that No.14 has gone through what No.6 is now going through. Except No.6 is of a stronger character, and determination to remain himself against all odds.

New Arrivals

I wonder just how much news of the outside world filtered through the village to the ordinary citizens? News of swinging London. Of the Vietnam war, and the anti-war demonstrations for example. Because surely new arrivals in the village would sooner or later make friends and socialise with others, who would want to know who they were. Where they came from, why they are in the village, just in the ordinary course of things. And news of the outside world might just slip out on occasion, occasionally. After all No.6 asked Dutton "How's London?"

The Door To Number 1

1 Buckingham Place that is. Its somehow symbolic, in the way that it opens and closes with that very familiar electronic hum that we have come to associate with the cottage door to 6 private. And in that we possibly realise exactly what the Prisoner has been all about, life! To demonstrate that the village had been about life, civilisation, us, and what our world has become.

Episodes such as ‘Free For All’ tackles the question of the democratic process and democracy which so many countries are said to enjoy. ‘The General’ delves into the world of education, and ‘Checkmate’ commented on the freedom of the individual. ‘The Schizoid Man’ looked at problems within ourselves, and the question of identity, possibly mental illness. In fact there is nothing in the Prisoner series which cannot be found in life.

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Can a man be in two places at the same time? Can he have slept with an attractive girl in her apartment when he's only ever seen her briefly, and didn't even know her address? It is bewildering questions such as these that torment Harold Pelham when he recovers from a near fatal car accident - an accident which has strange undertones. Pelham himself is every inch the city businessman, conservative in dress, staid in manner with a lovely wife and a young family. A man of substance.... a man truly set in his ways. So how does Julie, an attractive girl he has only seen once, claim such an intimate relationship? As each day passes the enigma deepens, the mystery becomes more unfathomable, and more terrifying. It is only after his wife, children, and best friend turn from him as from a complete stranger that Pelham discovers the terrifying truth.

This film is Prisoneresque, in the way that there are two Six's in 'The Schizoid Man,' when No.6 is trying to prove his identity against his double. And 'Fall Out,' when No.6 meets No.1 his alter ego, much in the same way as Pelham, comes face to face with himself, his alter ego. Although perhaps not in the case of Curtis, who is merely impersonating No.6. But to all intents and purposes there were two No.6's in the Village.

The 25th Anniversary PAL VHS video box set issued by Polygram/ITC in 1992, comprising all 17 episodes as well as "The Alternative Version Of The Chimes Of Big Ben" and "The Best Of The Prisoner". Grading for this item is near MINT; the only blemishes being some wear to the edges of the box, which also has some sellotape re-inforcing the bottom corners so they don't split. The videos (cases and tapes) have only ever been played once. The photo montage shows views of the box taken from four different angles. This set is formatted for use on videos utilising the VHS PAL system, so please ensure that your video player supports this system before bidding. Total running time is over 14 hours.

It is not often you see this item, and when you do, it is without the presentation box, because the box usually fell to pieces being so filmsy as it was. Also the five videos are exactly the same used for the 30th anniversary box-set, although the presentation box was stronger and with a front gate. It was however coloured gold, and the gold rubbed off the box!

He's driven a taxi out into the countryside to see how far he can get. This is of course an intelligence gathering exercise, as No.6 attempts to find the best way to escape from the Village in 'Many Happy Returns.' But curiously this will not be the only time No.6 ventures away from the village and out into the countryside. He does so again twice during 'Hammer Into Anvil.' But why is No.6 allowed to go so far, and what's more if you look closely it is open countryside that lies beyond the Village. Surely there is a route for escape which lies this way? fter all No.6 appears to have been travelling a well worn track!

Arrival Well that speaks for itself, and for anyone arriving in the village.

The Chimes of Big Ben Friendship, deception and failure!

A B & C Concerns itself with three people in the life of the Prisoner, friends, and acquaintances, to gain the reason why No.6 resigned.

Free For All Village democracy and elections, in which No.6 turns it into a right free for all!

The Schizoid Man An impostor in the village!

The General An experiment in education.

Many Happy Returns No.6 returns to his London home, then in time, to the Village on his birthday, the only real clue at this time as to WHEN the Prisoner is.

Dance of the Dead Concerns itself with death. A man’s dead body is found washed up on the beach by No.6. No.6 is sentenced to death at his trial. The body of the dead man in that long drawer in the mortuary will be amended, as so the wallet in his pocket, so that it will be No.6 who has died in an accident at sea!

Checkmate Chess features prominently, as so too the game which No.6 plays so well. There is experimentation, a mention of Pavlov and his rats, or was it dogs, yes dogs. And of course No.6 has to check to see who his mates are!

Hammer Into Anvil No.2 sees himself as the hammer, and No.2 the anvil. But there’s a weak link in the chain of command just waiting to be broken! Paranoia, fear and a conspiracy, together with the lack of trust are all here in the mix.

Its Your Funeral Assassination/execution, and the possibility of mass reprisals against the innocent citizens of the village. And No.6 appears to care - why does he care?

A Change of Mind Could almost be the title of the next episode don’t you think? Unmutuals need to learn to live in harmony, a link to the episode two episodes ahead.

Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling No, not High Noon for the Prisoner, but certainly A Change of Mind!

Living In Harmony A reflection for those of A Change of Mind perhaps! But then that would be too docile, don’t you think?

The Girl Who Was Death speaks for itself, an episode about a girl who calls herself Death, and tries to put an end to Mr. X, just as she had Colonel Hawke-Englishe. A fairy tale, or unused Danger Man script!

Once Upon A Time isn’t a fairy tale, but make or break for either one of them, No.2 or No.6. And all it will take is one teeny weeny week!

Fall Out The chance at last to meet No.1, which results in violent and bloody revolution. Escape, resignation, and abduction of the Prisoner!

Many Happy Returns

The original script called for filming around Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus, specifying a sequence outside Lilly whites where a passer-by gives No.6 a two-shilling coin thinking him to be a beggar. This two-shilling coin No.6 uses to deposit the roll of film, he took back in the village, in a left luggage locket at Piccadilly Circus tube station for safe keeping. Although these sequences were never used in the completed episode.

The Prisoner had to begin somewhere. But really are we really to believe that it was somewhere at the end of that long and deserted road in the opening sequence? Well that's not right for a start! That long and deserted road, isn't even a road. It's a disused runway on an old WWII airfield!
Even if we were to consider the actions of 'Fall Out,' which is a form of resignation, to be the commencement of 'the Prisoner,' we do see the Prisoner returned to London, driving passed the Houses of Parliament on his way to the underground car park. And yet seconds later we see a grimmaced faced man behind the wheel of his Lotus 7. There's a clash of thunder and before you know it, we'll be at the end of that runway again! It would seem that we have come full circle, and are not much wiser for having taken the journey!

In a letter/article written by a fan of the Prisoner in the mid 1980's, it was stated that only unmutuals and deviants refuse to wear the Village symbol. Well of course that statement is not at all correct. Okay No.6 refuses to wear his penny farthing numbered badge, but so too does the Butler, yet there is no question of his loyalty to either his master, or the village. And the same can be said of the doctor who carries out the Prisoner's medical in ‘Arrival.’ Together with the Professor and Madam Professor in ‘The General’, and they came to the village of their own free will.

How do certain citizens get away with not wearing their badge? I have no idea, we simply have to accept it for what it is. On the other hand, perhaps in the case of the doctor in Arrival, it could be a case of forgetfulness! Forgetfulness of someone on the production team working on the Prisoner, who forgot to pin a village badge to his white coat. Other than that the badge could simply have fallen off! And that could also be said of both the Professor and his wife, if it were not for the fact that there is not one scene in ‘The General’ where the Professor and his wife are seen to wear the village badge. And the same can certainly be said of the Butler throughout the series.

On the other hand, you have the watchmaker who is against the village, because he has not met anyone who has committed a crime, and he wears his badge, as does No.93 in ‘A Change of Mind,’ who is an unmutual! And don't forget the Rook who rebelled on the chessboard. He is against the Village, and like others, he still wears his badge.

Well part of the machine I might be, and more than a mere cog as No.12 purports to be. But at least my position is reasonably safe and secure, safer than that of No.2 anyway.

I don't have to get myself involved with complicated plots and schemes in order to extract information from that No.6! But when I do try and give some input I only get my head bitten off, so mainly I keep myself to the control room and my administrative details, at least when I'm on shift that is.

I was once promoted to the position of No.2 you know, oh yes. But the position only lasted a week, after that I had to take my place as a delegate of the Assembly. Soon after which all hell broke out, and the village evacuated! I knew that No.6 was trouble the moment I first laid eyes on him, as he was leaving No.2's office that time, and we passed as I was entering.

In my opinion there is only one way to get any such required information from No.6, and it doesn't entail any highfaluting schemes and plans. Such plans have never achieved anything, some have never even come close to succeeding. All you have to do is have no.6 taken to hospital. Well you don't even have to go that far, you can do it to him in the comfort of his own home. Just inject him full of the truth drug Scopolamine, then he'll tell us anything we want to know alright, including that precious secret of his..... the reason behind his resignation! And what's more we still wouldn't be damaging the tissue!

"Milk it makes good temper. Would you like some?"

It’s also something you drink when you have a stomach ulcer! Hence The Tally Ho news headline in A B & C Is No.2 Fit For Further Term? Not questioning No.2's ability, but the matter of his health!

Even when this particular No.2 is brought back to the village for a second term of office, his health is not improved, as he's still suffering from his ulcer, but this is only shown through his continuation to drink milk.

In the days of good old Ceefax, so I’m going back a bit, a headline appeared. Not produced here for mild entertainment or to be laughed at, but as a curiosity which might be applied to that of ‘Fall Out.’"Blast kills 1 and injures 6."

Badge Of Authority

The badge worn by the majority of Village citizens has been described as being a constant reminder of the authority, and is the means of identifying its citizens. Well what works one way, works another. Because if you've been striped of you own name and identity, at least a numbered badge gives you some kind of identity to cling on to. Look how No.6 reacted the moment he thought he'd lost his identity of No.6 in ‘The Schizoid Man.’

Monday, 27 May 2013

We all make mistakes. Sometimes we have to. Its Not All Allegorical And Enigmatic, sometimes it's quite Straightforward really.

As with the episode ‘Its Your Funeral.’ A plot to assassinate/execute the retiring No.2 who has just returned to the Village from a spell of leave. His execution, at the word from No.1, and organised by heir presumptive and interim No.2, with the co-operation of No.100 who has indoctrinated the little watchmaker-No.51 to carry out the actual assassination of No.2.

No.6's involvement is brought about by using No.50-Monique as a dupe for her father's sake to make No.6 become involved, and No.6 as a dupe because without his credibility the plan might not work. But "Plan Division Q," the execution of No.2, is unsuccessful because of No.6's involvement with the plan, and so Its Your Funeral is probably the most straightforward of all the episodes. Quite allegorically free, apart from the bit where No.6's involvement is required. You would think that the Village Administration would have known better than to actually, voluntarily, get No.6 involved. Haven't learned much, have they?

There seems to be something in common between the Colonel and No.2-Chairman of the Village, in that the character changes with each appearance of the Colonel. First during ‘The Chimes of Big Ben,’ a Colonel who is a direct superior to the Prisoner. But he is an objectionable and obnoxious character, who does not suffer fools gladly, and is very sceptical of his ex-colleague who he sees as having gone over to the other side, and has now returned to carry on the good work! That's big of the Colonel, seeing as it is he who has been seconded to the Village!

Then another Colonel, to who No.6 has gone running to in ‘Many Happy Returns,’ who is rather sceptical of his ex-colleagues report. That is until No.6's story begins to check out right. From Beachy Head, to the Gypsy camp, the Police road block, and Mrs. Butterworth's Statement. Then the Colonel begins to put in motion plans for No.6 to find the location of the Village. But as he and Thorpe stand looking on as No.6 takes off from the Aerodrome, it is the last he sees of his ex-colleague "He's an old, old friend who never gives up!"

In ‘Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling,’ the Colonel is again brought to the Village by the highest authority. Although the Colonel doesn't look at all comfortable at having been seconded to the Village, he is gratified, and would like to know his duties as soon as possible, either in being keen to serve or to get it over with as soon as possible!

Finally there is Colonel Hawke-Englishe who in the episode ‘The Girl Who Was Death,’ is on the trail of a mad Professor Schnipps, who has built a rocket with intent to destroy London. We don't get the chance to meet with this particular Colonel, as he is blown to bits at the wicket by an exploding cricket ball, just one run short of his century!

Interesting to note, that the Colonel not only has his office job, but also takes up a position in the field of operations, with or without a standard disguise. Putting his life on the line, just as agents like John Drake and James Bond. But in two cases here in episodes of the Prisoner, going into the field as they did, on the trail of Seltzman and Professor Schnipps, it cost them both their lives.

Somehow I feel it is improbable that the position of Colonel would change so frequently during the 15 months of the Prisoner's absence. But it's possible I suppose, given the later rate of the Colonel's mortality!

"Of all the daft ideas for escape, this one takes the blasted biscuit!"
"That's what's so ingenious about it. The Guardians won't be expecting an escape aboard the Stoneboat!"
"Stoneboats don't float!"
"Yes that's right, they sink!"
"Number Sixty-six told me that he'd sailed the Stoneboat many a time. That she's good in any weather."
"You know Number Six, I do believe you're next to an idiot!"
"A pair of idiots! There have been boats and ships made out of concrete since the 1800's."
"That might be so, but this one's attached to the quayside!"
"I've got that covered. I've stolen a pick axe, a shovel, and a pneumatic drill!"
"You must be mad!"
"I wish I was back in my shop!"

Everyone tries to escape when their spirits broken, one can even be driven to acts of desperation. Like the time when No.23 tied himself to the trunk of a tree, threw himself off the top of a cliff so he did, tied to this trunk of a tree. He said the tied would carry him out to sea, and then he’d be picked up by a passing boat……….there wasn’t a funeral, you need a body!

No.6 was given an electro pass, it synchronises with the alarm system and lets you through, it does that right enough. And then, if you can fly a helicopter you can use it to escape! Well it’s like the jet boat they have here, and M.S. Polotska, it has a built-in remote control system!You see there are three ways out of the Village, by road, well as it happens all roads lead back to the Village! By air, if you happen to be the helicopter pilot, Cobb, a plant here in the Village, of No. 2. By sea, you can either swim for it, carve yourself a boat out of a tree trunk. Build yourself a sea-going raft, or simply tie two rubber lilos together and simply paddle off in the hope of attracting the attention of a passing boat or ship. Overland into the open countryside, but beyond that are the mountains, over or through is the only way, and I’ve never known anyone attempt escape that way. Even No.6 rejected going over the mountains.So you see there are only so many ways of escape from the Village, but I’ve known those to gather together and try to tunnel their way out. Or to hide in a dustbin in order to be collected and thrown out with the rubbish! No.38 went about the Village collecting the inner cardboard tube from toilet rolls, hundreds and hundreds he collected, and then sheets, and bought all the potatoes from the General store. No. 2 knew all the time what No.38 was up to. He was building a guilder in the BellTower! The inner cardboard tubes made the frame of the guilder, the sheets would make the covering of the frame, stiffened with starch from the boiled potatoes. Oh yes, and then there were the industrial strength elastic bands, they formed the catapult which would launch the guilder. It was only at the point of No.38 actually attempting to launch the guilder that No.2 put a stop to it. He said that he didn’t want No.38 killing himself, and only let he build the guilder in the first place so that he had something to do. That broke No.38’s gallant heart, one day he climbed to the top of the Bell Tower and threw himself off……..there was no water at the foot of the Bell Tower to break his fall!You see No.6, he wants what we all want ultimately, to escape, and that goes for No.2, I herd him admit as much the Madam Professor. And to think that she and her husband the Professor came to the Village willingly, they must have been desperate! I mean to say the Professor is a teacher, he teaches. If that’s the case, and if he’s such a great teacher, why did he have to come to the Village to do it, answer me that if you can. And Madam Professor, she all arty. I mean to say, have you ever been to one of her art seminars? What’s that chap doping over there? He’s tearing up a book, creation comes out of the ashes of destruction, I mean what’s that got to do with art? And that woman, she’s standing on her head! But oh no, to Madam Professor she’s creating a new perspective! And that chap sat there….he’s asleep, yes I bet he is. Tired himself out thinking in broad concepts all day! And don’t give me any of that still life painting, or seascapes for that matter. And I can think of a better subjects than No.2 to paint, or model in clay, some people have no imagination! I was talking to that Nadia, you know Number Eight, cor I wouldn’t mind twelve hours in a crate with her! Oops! That’s sexist talk, I forgot. Mind you she did ask if I would paint her in the nude. I said I’d have to keep me socks on. Nadia asked me why, I said well I’ll need somewhere to keep me paint brushes! Do you get it, keep me socks on so I……..oh well please yourselves. But at least I’ve retained a sense of humour, which is more then most can say here!Carnival they said, they’ll be music, dancing, happiness by order! Well I didn’t see much happiness,did you see the bland expression on everyone’s face at the Carnival? The dancing wasn’t up to much either, although there was music. If you ask me the Carnival was a put-up job. Well they didn’t fool me! Here do you know what, I had my breakfast brought to me on a tray that morning of the Carnival. Some bird, my personal maid actually, brought it to my cottage wearing a fancy dress costume, looked like King Arthur’s misses she did. And do you know what, my breakfast, it was stone cold! I blamed that guy driving the tractor, a bit too slow for my liking. If the girl had walked, she’d have got here twice as quick as riding on the trailer of that truck, and what’s more my breakfast wouldn’t have been cold! Anyway were was I? Oh yeah, escape, what I’ve learned is this, if you don’t escape in time, you grow too old for escape that’s what. Well that’s what No.14 told me. He’s an ex-Count or something. And that’s another thing, how the devil can anyone be an ex-Count, did he resign or what? Yes escape. Well it’s not everyone who is skilled enough to build a sea-going raft, let alone felling enough trees in the first place. And what about carving the hull of a boat out of the trunk of a tree, using a tarpaulin to complete the hull. And then what about navigation. I wouldn’t know how to navigate, not even if I knew where to was sailing from and to where I was sailing! I couldn’t build a home-made compass to save my life I couldn’t. No, what you need are reliable men! Men who are skilled in a number of different skills. And don’t make the same mistake as that Number 6 fella. Let others take responsibility, that way there’s no comeback. What I mean is, if Number 6 hadn’t taken overall charge of that little adventure, but let everyone take responsibility, then the Rook couldn’t have made the mistake he did, in thinking that Number 6 was one of “them!”Anyway life here in the Village is what you make it. Me, I’m perfectly happy. {bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep” Just a minute that the phone. “Number Two here……….No sir, everything’s fine. Assistance? No sir I can manage…….No sir, just as you ordered……….well thank you sir.” Possibly the greatest experiment in human history and he treats it like. Well I wouldn’t like to say what he treats it like. All I know is life here in the Village is what you make it. But right now, just at this moment, I want what most of us want ultimately….to escape!

"I'm fed up with the character of John Drake. and that of Danger Man. The scripts for Danger Man have long since become thin, and in one guise or another, repetitive. Its time to produce a series of my own the Prisoner."

Patrick McGoohan

{Tis is of course pure fiction. yet there are certain sentiments of Patrick McGoohan which lie behind it.}

I Resigned Because........

Well a number of years ago I wrote what I thought the Prisoners letter of resignation might contain.

"Colonel, the time has arrived for me to hand in my resignation which I hope you will accept with grace. My reasons for such an actionare quite simple really. Foralong time I have been disillusioned with my job and the kind of work I have been required to do, and with a number of my immediate superiors.

I have travelled the globe in line with my work, and my job has become increasingly dangerous. I have spent years living and surviving by my wits and I have become tired of it. I have risked my life on numerous occasions with little thanks, and little pay in my pocket!

The job gets dirtier and dirtier, and I feel that I have been used from time to time by others in order to achieve their own ends. By this I mean generally clearing up other people's mess, and I'm sick of it all.

Now you can get someone else to do your spying, and cleaning up other people's mess. I resign forthwith and want nothing more to do with you or the department."

John Drake

Nothing to do with 'the Prisoner,' no. This film starts with the funeral of a small child. The date of the headstone establishes the date as being 1897. The village is is set outside Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.

As the story progresses, we learn that the villagers live in fear of nameless creatures in the woods which surround the village. The villagers have built a barrier of oil lanterns and watch towers that are constantly manned to keep watch for those we do not speak of. It is explained that the villagers have a long standing truce with these creatures. They do not go into the woods, and the creatures do not enter the village.

Sunday, 26 May 2013

It's a tough life living in an American frontier town like Harmony in the 1800's. Me? I'm a newspaper man working for The Tally Ho, but when the shooting starts I try to keep me' head down, as do most of the folks around here.

The Judge runs the town, and as long as you toe the line, then the Judge will look after you. He runs Harmony with a rod of iron, and there's his "boys" who enforce the Judges rules. In fact when it comes the Judges ruling in Court, he puts me in mind of that other self appointed Judge, Judge Roy Bean who had a thing for that actress Lilly Langtry. Because there are pictures of Miss Langtry on the walls of the Silver Dollar saloon here in Harmony, along with numerous "Wanted Posters" for Belle & Sam Starr, and Bill Nixon for example. Together with photographs of William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, and Annie Oakley which also adorn the walls of the saloon.

Another of the Judges men is the Kid, fastest on the draw the Judge has ever seen. The Kid has a thing for Cathy, one of the Saloon girls, and doesn't like anyone to get close to her. Will, a local Rancher found that out quick enough. He was having a good time with Cathy in the Saloon, buying her drinks and fooling around. It was all innocent fun, but the Kid didn't see the innocent side, and gunned Will down in the Saloon. Of course the Sheriff couldn't do anything, as Will had drawn first, and witnesses said as much.

No-one knows who this man with no name is, a drifter on the Plain, a high Plains drifter you could say! He was brought off the Plain and into town on the back of a horse by the "Judges Boys." He took some persuation on the Judge's part, to make the stranger see that the wisest thing to do was to stay in town. But he couldn't leave town even if he wanted too. The Judges Boys would see to that! And the Sheriff also took some persuading to "Get some guns on!" But even without guns, this man with no name can sure handle himself, Zeke who also doesn't carry a gun, but then he doesn't need to, came off the worst in a fist fight with the new Sheriff, as did others of the Judge's boys.

And then when the Sheriff did put his gun on, well the body count soon rose. The Kid was first in a gunfight, right out there in the street. The Kid was fast on the draw, but the Sheriff was quicker. And then in the Silver Dollar Saloon there was the Sheriff up against three of the Judges boys who were no match at all.

Yep, Harmony is a quiet enough town where the most exciting thing the towns folk have to look forward to is a visit by the Bishop. No doubt you've seen the postersproclaiming that The Bishop Is Coming. Mind you.

Well really all folks around these parts have gotta do is let the Judge take care of them. Then they'll be alright. Butif you don't like our town, take against it and the Judge.... well there's always Boot Hill! That's where we buried Johnson, Cathy Johnson's brother. Then there was Will, Jim, the Kid and Cathy, although the Sheriff buried her himself, together with three of the Judge's "boys."

Quiet town did I say? Well it was till the man with no name was brought into town. Then things really livened up around here!

I've sometimes wondered why No.6 should be glad that this particular No.6 should be in the Village. Perhaps he had knowledge of the man prior to his abduction to the Village. After all in his "other life" he works in the Houses of Patrliament, and when the Prisoner went to hand in his resignation, he was only a stones throw from the Houses of Parliament. Indeed that office into which the Prisoner storms to hand in his notice to the man sat behind the desk, may very well have been in the Houses of Parliament.
There was a time when a number of fans of 'the Prisoner' were of the opnion that that office where the Prisoner hands in his letter of resignation was actually at the end of that long dark tunnel, in the car park. I was never of that opinion, indeed I found it to be ridiculous. I mean who has an office in a car park?

Ah Number 8, the woman who had often helped others with their plans for escape, but none of which ever succeeded! And so it proved to be with Number 6's plan, and yet the failure of his plan was nothing to do with this woman. Her only failure was to allow Number 6 to take her locket which held the "reaction transmitter." This picture was taken from the last time we see Number 8, her failure was enough to see her wiped off the board! Originally Nmber 8 was to have gone with Number 6, to have both been picked up by the crew of M.S. Polotska.
The idea was that Number 8's emotions would betray Number 6, if she was going to lose him, if he was going to escape, and send an alarm to control. But that relied upon Number 8 wearing the locket. Had she still been doing so, then there would have been no need for the Rook to betray Number 6 instead of the white Queen!
What happened to Number 8? Who can say, but one thing is known, her number 8 badge was made up from that of a two diit number. See how the 8 is off-centre of the penny wheel. Meaning the first digit, 1, 2 3, 4, 5 or whatever, had been tip-exed out!

The Prisoner is all in the mind - so they say. Trouble is, I can't get him out of mine!

I Didn’t Resign - I Walked out!

"What I intended, originally, was that McGoohan is held by people and he doesn't know which side he's working for... I walked out. That's why it became silly, you see. It needed a certain hand at the helm."

Gerorge Markstein.

Dance Of The Dead

It has been written that this episode opens with No.6 having been brainwashed. Well this is absurd. Because to brainwash a person, or someone means that what they know has been washed away so that those who have done this thing can then replace that something with something of their own. Its like wiping the memory of a computer so that you can reprogrammed it to do something different. To understand this fully you should watch the film The Manchurian Candidate.

Bearing in mind the face that Professor Jacob Seltzman now wears, that of the Colonel. Can we be sure that the white haired gentleman that we see in the episode Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling, is actually Professor Seltzman? In short has Seltzman used his process previously, with some poor victim, so as to hide his true identity. After all he was living in Kandersfeld, working as a barber, under the pseudonym of Herr Hallen.

And that's the beauty of it, we can never know. Simply to speculate.

The Freedom To Think!

I was on the telephonic communication device last night, speaking to an old friend of mine. He made the comment that my articles here are all very thought provoking, interesting to read, and entertaining into the bargain. Furthermore that I have found new angles to come at the Prisoner with, and have formulated new ideas and theories about the series. And that Six of One are losing out on my inspired Prisoner based articles.

It was very kind of my friend to say so, and indeed I was once, and for 15 years from 1986 to 2001, a proud member of Six of One: The Prisoner Appreciation Society, and contributed letters and articles to the society magazine, which were all well received. However it has to be said that ndeed since walking out on Six of One, I have found a new freedom to think. I have developed a fresh outlook on ‘the Prisoner,’ new angles to come at the series. To develop new and fresh ideas and theories about the series. Furthermore I feel that had I remained a member of Six of One, I would not have had the freedom of mind to carry out a fur year study into ‘the Prisoner’in-depth, to make the fresh discoveries I have made about the series, together with aspects of the series which have never been made mention of in all my time as a member of that society, nor have I read in any of the society magazines or newsletter throughout the 31 years.

Now when I look back, with my new found freedom to think, I can see the restrictions that a society like Six of One puts on its members. The society is too confining. You tailor your thoughts to stay within the structure of what is permitted. Put in short, you fail to think outside the box, to coin a phrase.

About Me

An enthusiast of the 1960's television series 'the Prisoner.' A writer, author, and considered an authority on the series.
'The Prisoner' captivated me from the moment of that clash of thunder in the opening sequence, and I have been a prisoner of 'the Prisoner' ever since.